This was an email I got recently. I think they’ll have no problem living on $7,000 per month on any island, considering they don’t care about owning a home. I respond after the email.

*****

Hi there,

I have a question about what you feel is an adequate income level to move to Hawaii; you mention a figure of 50k per person as being in the ballpark.

Here’s what our situation will be, roughly four years from now. My wife and I will both be retired with a gross income of roughly $7000 monthly; we’re not interested in home ownership, feeling it is no longer a great investment. Haven’t really decided where we would like to live, but the North Shore of Oahu is one possibility. We will have some (but not unmanageable) long-term debt, and the income is bulletproof. We don’t drink, aren’t nightlife types, but we do like to go out and hear live music periodically.

Is a move to Hawaii anything we should even be thinking about?

Thanks for your advice!

*****

My response…

Hi there,

You didn’t mention what amount of long-term debt. Letting me know what you have net after that would help I think. Even if you have only $5,000 left per month – you can make it. The biggest expenses for retired couples I think are:

Rent

Food

Medical insurance

Debt payments

I think if I was retired with my wife and our daughter was grown, we could live on $4,000 per month after taxes, with not too much trouble or suffering. I would much rather do it at $8,000+ per month clear, but that extra $4,000 would just go to an ocean view, proximity to the beach, better food more often, and trips to neighboring islands and trips back to the mainland to see family more often. Living on $8,000 per month as a couple in Clearwater, Florida would go a LONG way, and would enable us to make a trip to Hawaii, Alaska, Thailand, and Europe each year – and still live at a decent level.

It all really depends on your chosen lifestyle. I think a single person could live comfortably in Hawaii on $2,000 per month clear – having the right attitude… a minimalist one, for sure!

I know a guy living on Kauai right now – and he has for about 2 years now… he is making maybe $1,000 per month. I have been afraid to ask. Maybe I’ll ask him in an email today. He is working at a farm and living a minimalist lifestyle, but he has a used truck and an apartment to stay. He seems happy that he’s able to live in paradise and isn’t too concerned about having to leave anytime soon because of money.

It is definitely possible to live in Hawaii on nearly any income, what the issue is – as always, is what are you willing to live with? Can you handle a lower standard of living, and for how long? If temporary, does it make sense to move to Hawaii at all? Maybe, maybe not. Lots of unknowns, as you surely know.

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Iâ€™ve lived Hawaii since the mid â€˜80s when I moved here at the age of 21. I arrived site-unseen in Honolulu with zero contacts and about $5k in savings. I worked from nearly zero and today Hawaii has given me the greatest gifts in the world in all aspects: spiritually, financially, romantically (married since early â€˜90s w/ 2 children), and most important, peace. My goal with this site is to share the magic of this Land of Aloha and help others who are on a similar quest.

4 Comments

Hello,
My name is Gary. Iâ€™m retired military and in about two years I plan to retire from my current job. once I do retire for the last time my take home pay is going to be around $7500 per month. I have visited Hawaii many times during my Navy career and I love Island life. Would I be able to live comfortably in Hawaii? My medical is taken care of TRICARE military medical system. I have full access to the military commissaryâ€™s.

Hello my name is anthony i am currently living in Texas but as a child i lived in Mililani and as an adult i was stationed at schofield barracks. I last visited oahu in 2013 and as i left i litterally shed silent tears during take off. The islands resignate in my soul. Anyways its my dream to live there full time and permanantly this time again. My question is now i am a combat veteran with a permanant income of 2500$ dollars a month coming in for tje rest of my life. Do you think i could make it on that as just pne person? Thats just to start i plan on getting a job once im there which will essentially easily double my income. Your thoughts and advocw would bw greatly appreciated.

Assuming you get into a second income, I think you could do it! You’ll of course have to make lots of sacrifices but it seems you’re willing to do that. You went to school here as a kid so you’ve got some connections already. I say go for it!